| Year | Low (oz) | High (oz) | Avg (oz) | Avg (gram) | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $4,013 | $4,714 | $4,323 | $139 | |
| 2025 | $2,813 | $4,326 | $3,500 | $113 | |
| 2024 | $2,046 | $2,738 | $2,357 | $76 | string of new highs as rates turned lower |
| 2023 | $1,829 | $2,062 | $1,953 | $63 | |
| 2022 | $1,636 | $1,949 | $1,791 | $58 | record central-bank buying begins |
| 2021 | $1,714 | $1,903 | $1,789 | $58 | |
| 2020 | $1,564 | $1,968 | $1,795 | $58 | pandemic: a new all-time high |
| 2019 | $1,283 | $1,519 | $1,385 | $45 | |
| 2018 | $1,192 | $1,339 | $1,263 | $41 | |
| 2017 | $1,241 | $1,316 | $1,272 | $41 | |
| 2016 | $1,116 | $1,349 | $1,250 | $40 | |
| 2015 | $1,060 | $1,279 | $1,152 | $37 | |
| 2014 | $1,171 | $1,321 | $1,245 | $40 | |
| 2013 | $1,224 | $1,661 | $1,420 | $46 | sharp correction as the Fed tapered stimulus |
| 2012 | $1,563 | $1,771 | $1,678 | $54 | |
| 2011 | $1,334 | $1,829 | $1,578 | $51 | debt-crisis peak and the decade's high |
| 2010 | $1,083 | $1,421 | $1,237 | $40 | |
| 2009 | $891 | $1,095 | $975 | $31 | |
| 2008 | $717 | $972 | $872 | $28 | global financial crisis: flight to safety |
| 2007 | $648 | $835 | $712 | $23 | |
| 2006 | $562 | $652 | $619 | $20 | |
| 2005 | $422 | $517 | $452 | $15 | |
| 2004 | $387 | $451 | $413 | $13 | |
| 2003 | $336 | $416 | $370 | $12 | |
| 2002 | $282 | $327 | $308 | $10 | |
| 2001 | $258 | $292 | $273 | $9 | |
| 2000 | $270 | $274 | $272 | $9 |
Source: COMEX Gold Futures daily closes (Yahoo Finance). The current year reflects data to date. Prices are indicative; other currencies live on the currency pages.
Frequently asked questions
When was gold most expensive?
By COMEX daily closes the peak came in 2026 — about $4,714 per ounce ($152 per gram).
Why does the table start in 2000?
The series is built from primary sources: COMEX futures daily closes (available from 2000 in our feed) and official FX rates (from 1999). Earlier data exists but requires different sources — we do not mix methodologies.
Is the average a forecast?
No. It is the arithmetic mean of the year's daily closes — a historical fact. World Gold publishes no forecasts.